Condenser installation



' R. N. EHRHART.

CONDENSER INSTALLATION.

APPLICATION FILED APIIIs. 1916.

1,342,103. mmm@ 1, 1920.

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UNITED sTATaEfS PATENT oer-ics.

RAYMOND 2N. EITIRHART, .0F EDGEWOOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR f'DO WESTINGI-IOUSJE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING A CORPORATION OF PENNSXLVLANIA.

coNDENsna INSTALLATION.

Specification-of Letters Patent.

`l'atengted June 1,@h920.

Application led April 8, 19116. Serial' No. 89820 To all w-wme't may concern:

Be it known lthat I, RAYMOND N. EHR- HART, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Edgewood Park, 'in the county of Allegheny and VState of Pennsylvania, have made a `new Yand useful Invention 4in Condenser Installations, of which the following is a specification.

This invention `relates /to condenser 1nstallations ,in which two or morecondensers are adapted to receive fluid,-to ybe condensed, 'from a single source.

An object of the invention is `to `provide means such that one of the separate condensers may operate effectively in condensing the fluid from-the source, while Vthe other condensers are shut down.

It is well known that the-temperature of cooling water, delivered to condensers, varies with atmospheric temperatures and that consequently during-the winter months the coolin water sometimes Ifallsbelow 40 degrees 4ahrenheit, whereas during the hot months of the year its temperature may be as high or higher'than 70. degrees Fahrenheit. vIt is also well known bythose skilled in the art, that it is possible to obtain nearly the same vacuum with a given volume Aof cooling water at or below-40 degrees Fahrenheit as it is with twice that volume. 'It is also well known that for the usual commercial'desi-gn of condenser a givenvolume of water at-a higher temperature, for eX- ampleat 70 degrees Fahrenheit, will maintain a vbetter vacu-um than could /be obtained by employing Ihalf 4the volume .of water. The difference in vacuum under such conditions is so -great as to render it necessary to use thelarger quantity of water if it is desirable to maintain a -high vacuum in the condenser.

It has become more or less common practice, in large condenser installations2 to employ ltwo or more condensers which are adapted to receiveffluid or steam to be condensed from a commonsource. In such an installation it is possible to shut down one or vmore of the separate condensers during the winter months and to obtain substantially as high a vacuum as -would be obtained ifall of the condensers of the installation were operating. During the summer months, or Vwhile the lcondensing water '1 s received at a relatively-high temperature, 1t

is necessary to employ all of the condensers of the installation to maintain the ydesired vacuum and the shutting down 4 of one condenser, with a resulting diminution in the Y to leak into the inoperative condenser, .,al-` though 1ts water delivery passages are closed.; For example, there wlll be a. certainamouiit of condensation entering #the common inlet of the 'two condensers and some of itwill nd its wayzinto the inoperative condenser. rIhere -will also be the possibilityof leaks in the water delivery .connections of the inoperative condenser, and if the condenser is idle 'for a long enough period, it will fill up with water and its vacuum breaker will ,operate and consequently break the vacuum of the operating condenser, inasmuch as the condensers communicate through their inlet passages. Thebreaking of the vacuum will, of course, cause. a delay, since the inoperative condenserrwould, under the conditions described, have to be drained before the vacuum could be again established in the operating condenser.

`One ofthe objects of mypresent invention isto provide a condenser installation, including at least two condensers,y receiving fluid 'from a single source,l in which means are provided for preventing the inoperative condenser from filling upy with liquid and afi'ecting'the operation of the operating condenser. l

A further object is to provide means in such a condenser installation whereby liquid collected in the inoperative condenser is delivered to the operating condenser through a water sealed connection. v

'These kand other objects, which will be made apparent throughout. the `further description of the invention, are attained by means of a condenser installation embodying the features herein described and illustrated in the single sheet drawing accompanying and forming a part hereof.

In the drawings I have illustrated a condenser installation embodying my invention y and which includes two jet condensers.

Ation illustrated includes two jet condensers 3 and 4, which are provided with a common inlet port 5. The inlet port communicates with the inlet passage 6 of both condensers. Each condenser is also provided with separate means for delivering cooling water to it. As illustrated, cooling water is delivered to each condenser through a pipe 7, which isprovided with a shut-off valve 8, and communicates with a chamber 9,y located in the upper portion of the condenser.

' The chamber 9 is provided with a plurality of delivery or spray nozzles 10, which deliver the water from the chamber 9, in the form of spray, through the condensing zone of the condenser. Each condenser is also provided with a conical apron or flange 11, which is located immediately below the series 0f spray nozzles and forms, in effect, a collecting cone for collecting the water delivered from the nozzles and for delivering it to the lower part or body 12 of the condenser. Each condenser is also provided with an rair ofi'take port 13, which is so located, with relation to the apron 11, that water passing through the condenser can not be readily drawn into it. Each condenser is also provided with a vacuum breaker for establishing direct communication between the interior of the condenser and the atmosphere in case the water level within the condenser rises above a determined level. As illustrated, the vacuum breaker consists of a valve 14, which is controlled by a float 15, located within the body portion proper of the condenser. Each condenser is also provided with a discharge pump 16, which communicates with the water discharge port and is adapted to discharge the water collecting in the bottom y of the condenser. As illustrated, the water pump of each condenser is mounted upon the same shaft with the air pump 17 of the condenser, and the air pump communicates through a pipe 18 with the air oiftake port 13.

In order to prevent flooding of one condenser, in case it is shut down while the other is in operation, I have 'provided a passage 19, which establishes communication between the body portions 12 of the two condensers at a` point below the condensing zones, or below the collecting cones 11. As illustrated, the passage 19 is so located that its point of communication with each con'- denser is below the normal water level of the condenser. With such an arrangement, the water level within the inoperative condenser can not rise above that of the level maintained in the operative condenser and consequently the operating pump 16 will discharge the water collected in both the operating and inoperative condensers. I havealso shown the passage 19 so formed that it forms a water seal between the condensers. This is accomplished in the apparatus illustrated by employing a curved passage or pipe, the intermediate portion of which is located below the Ahorizontal plane of its ends. This forms, in effect, a trap which will deliver water from one condenser body to the other, but will prevent the passage of uncondensed steam from one condenser to the other. The trap or water seal is provided to prevent the passage 19 from delivering uncondensed steam from the inoperative condenser to the operating condenser, since, if steam were delivered through this passage it might not be condensed in the operating condenser and consequently might be drawn out through the air off-take port 13 with the air. l

With the passage 19 located as described, it will fill up with water as soon as the water in the operating condenser has reached its normal level and consequently will prevent the passage of steam from one condenser to the other, but will not interfere with the passage of water. With this'arrangement of apparatus either condenser may be operated while the other is shut down and there will be no danger of having the inoperative condenser lill up with water and break the vacuum of the operating condenser. In addition to this the water can be removed from the operating condenser by means of its pump 16, or by means of the pump 16 of the other condenser. The apparatus has the additional advantage that the water level in the condensers will be maintained the same while both condensers are in operation, and one water pump may be employed for both of the condensers. r

lVhile I have described and illustrated but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modification, substitutions, additions and omissions may be made in the apparatus illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with a plurality of condensers having communicating condensing chambers receiving steam from the same inlet and provided with separate airv outlets and separately controlled condensing jets, of a connection between the water legs of the condensers adapted to permit condensate in an inoperative condenser to flow to an operative condenser and prevent uncondensed vapor entering the inoperative condenser from the said inlet, from passing to the air off-take of the operative condenser through the said connection.

2. The combination with a plurality of condensers having communicating condensing chambers receiving steam from the same inlet and provided with separate air outlets and separately controlled jets, of a condensate sealed connection between the water legs of the condensers adapted to permit condensate to flow from one condenser tothe other and prevent uncondensed vapor entering an inoperative condenser from the said inlet, from passing to the air olf-take of an operative condenser through the said connection.

3. The combination with a plurality of condensers having communicating combining cones each served by a separately controlled condensing jet, and each condenser being served by a separate air off-take communicating with the discharge end of the combining cone, of a connection between the water legs of the condensers adapted to permit condensate in an inoperative condenser to flow to an operative condenser and prevent uncondensed vapor entering an inoperative condenser from the said inlet, from passing to the air oH-take of an operative condenser through the said connection.

4l. Thecombination with a plurality of condensers having communicating condensing chambers receiving steam from the same inlet and each provided with a separate,

vacuum breaker responsive to variations of the fluid within that condenser, of means for preventing condensate entering the condensing chamber of an inoperative condenser from the said inlet, from rising above the `level of the condensate in an operative con-b denser.

5. rIhe combination with a plurality of condensers having communicating condensing chambers receiving steam from the same inlet and provided with a condensate controlled vacuum breaker communicating with the said inlet whereby the vacuum breaker is subjected to the action of the combined condensate within the condensers.

6. The combination with a pluralit of condensers having communicating con ensing chambers receiving steam from the same inlet and provided with a vacuum breaker communicating with the said inlet and responsive to variations of the quantity of condensate in the condenser, and provided with separate air off-takes for withdrawing non-condensable fluids from the condenser, of a connection adapted to permit the flow of condensate from one condenser to another, and prevent the passage of steam entering an inoperative condenser from the inlet, to the air olf-take of an operative condenser through the said connection.

7. A condenser installation comprising at least two jet condensers adapted to operate in parallel, independent means for delivering condensing water to each condenser, and independent means for withdrawing air or non-condensable vapors from each condenser, whereby each condenser may operate while the other is closed down, and a water sealed passage for establishing communication between the condensers at apoint below the condensing zone adapted to permit condensate to flow from one condenser to another and prevent uncondensed vapors from passing through the passage from an inoperative condenser to the air withdrawing means of an operative condenser.

8. A condenser installation comprising two jet condensers, adapted to operate in parallel on fluid from .the same source, separate means for delivering condensing water to each condenser, separate means for withdrawing condensing water and the water of condensation from each condenser', separate means for removing non-condensable lluids from each condenser, a float actuated vacuum breaker communicating with the said fluid source, and a water sealed passage between the condensers at a point below the condensing zones whereby the level of the condensate is maintained uniform in all the condensers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day of April,

RAYMOND N. EHRHART. 

